A Story Retold Ch 10

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"So are we finished here?"

With no response from me, he continued.

"Now, Raven, I need to realize something. I helped you escape and defeat your wretched father. I saved you."

"No!" I weakly interjected, "Robin saved me. You hardly did anything, you insignificant—"

"Silence! I will have no insults from you." His harsh tone softened a bit. "All I ask is for something in return. I gave you your freedom. It's time you gave me something back."

He held out something previously behind his back. It was his insignia.

"Why, why would I ever join you?" I spat.

"I can be like a father figure to you. One you never had and the one you deserve to have."

"I don't need a father anymore. I have my friends."

"Then why did you leave them? You intended to leave the team."

This touched my heart in a way it shouldn't have. Slade had a point.

"Wait…how did you know all of that?"

"I've been keeping an eye on you since we last saw each other. You didn't think I'd just disappear from your lives, did you?" His voice was soft and breathy. "I understand. I can take care of you."

"I can take care of myself."

"If you can take care of yourself, why are you still on the ground?" I could feel his urge to chuckle.

I slowly stood up, rubbing my neck. I turned away from him, my hood covering my face well.

"So Raven, what do you say?" He held out the insignia again. I silently considered my options. My friends back at the Tower seemed no not care one bit where I was.

Looking at it fitting perfectly in Slade's hand for a brief moment, I took it in my own. Slade nodded slightly in approval.

"Yes, Master."

He looked at me with a superior eye.

"Yes, Fath—"

"No! Raven!"

His voice jarred me so much that I dropped the badge. The thin metal clanked on the rock floor.

Robin stepped out of the darkness. The other three Titans were right behind him, looking fearful.

"What are you thinking? Giving yourself up to be his apprentice?" he yelled. "Raven…"

"No! Raven, you are my daughter now. Respect us and send him away!"

I stood frozen in time, pondering my choices.

"Raven! You are a Teen Titan!"

"You are my apprentice and daughter!"

"Raven…" came one side.

"Raven!" demanded the other.

"If you won't do the right thing, I will."

Robin lunged at Slade, his strong bo staff in hand.

"Hyah!" He smashed the staff on Slade's head. Starfire helped him and chucked Robin with his outstretched fist towards Slade with all her might. Slade jumped and flipped, dodging the speedy attack.

"I feel like we're doing this way too often…" Beast Boy mumbled before yelling and turning into a bull and ramming Slade.

Slade recovered and punched at Robin but missed. He jumped off the wall and slammed the mercenary in the back with his steel-toed shoe. Slade knelt on the floor for a moment, but immediately popped back up and went after Robin again, this time yelling in fury.

I stood, still in the middle of the commotion before deciding to put a final end to it.

"Stop!" I released my pent up emotion and energy, engulfing the area between us all. It pushed the two sides away and left the room rumbling slightly.

I turned to Slade. "I am and will always be a Teen Titan." After a slight pause, I screamed with all my might, "AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" I shot my soul self projected as a huge black raven at Slade. It forced him back into a rock wall, exploding. A shower of small rock and debris rained down on Slade. One particularly large slab hit him directly on the head, knocking him unconscious. The rest of the rocks covered him up, creating a small mountain of stone.

Immediately, Robin ran over to Starfire and tightly embraced her. She giggled and hugged him back strongly, but not enough to turn him blue.

"You're the best…" was all I cared to hear. I flew out of Slade's lair without a word or look.

Robin's POV

Raven just flew out without saying anything…why?

I looked at Cyborg and Beast Boy. Both of them looked at me with concerned faces.

"Dude…you can't just do that in front of her…" Beast Boy spoke out against me first.

"Yeah man," Cyborg agreed, "I mean, I'd feel really crappy after finding out my mom was dead and my ex-boyfriend was all up with his girlfriend in front of me."

Beast Boy looked at the cyborg curiously.

"What? Perspective, dodo…"

Beast Boy shrugged with a slight smirk on his face. So Cyborg wiped it off for him with a simple, yet hard pat on the head.

"Anyways, Robin, I think you should go apologize…it just doesn't seem right."

I sighed, not having thought about it that way and agreed.

"Beast Boy, want to help me get home?"

"Sure dude."

Raven's POV

"Stupid, insolent, bossy, uptight jerk," I mumbled angrily under my breath as I arrived at Titans Tower and allowed myself in.

The Tower's common room looked the same as it did when I left it and everything else three months ago. I silently made myself a cup of tea and headed to my room. Inside my room, all was undisturbed, but the bag I had intended to bring with me sat on my bed. Seems like Robin cared enough to put it back where it belonged.

Strong emotions were surging through me and I felt quite unstable. I hadn't had a good meditation for about two months now. And I needed it.

I sat down, almost stumbling to do it, and closed my eyes.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos…Azar—"

The roof above me made some noise. I waited for a moment and continued my meditation.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos…Azarath Met—"

More noises.

Once again closing my eyes, I began again.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zin—"

A soft knock on my door.

"Raven?"

"I'm meditating."

"Listen, I just wanted to sincerely apologize for talking about Starfire being the best in front of you. It wasn't right. I'm sorry."

I opened one eye, then slowly the other. I stood up and opened the door to reveal a Robin with a concerned look on his face. Was that genuine care? Compassion?

"If you're sorry, why did you do it?" I said after pausing for a moment.

"I…I don't know. I was being stupid at the moment, or something. I'm just glad you're back." He smiled.

"I'm glad I'm back too. But how did you find me? How did you know where I was?"

"I assumed you had gone to Azarath to search. Once you came back into this dimension, you reappeared on the Titans radar. Even though you don't have your communicator, we have your cloak's gem to track." He tapped it lightly.

"I hate to tell you this, especially right now, but Arella—"

"—'s dead. I know."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Raven."

I sighed, remembering the moment I saw the dove next to me on the white stairs.

"I don't know why, but I know Slade had to do something with it."

"Slade…" I gasped, now putting the pieces together.

"Slade!"

"Yeah…"

"He killed Arella so he could become my 'parental figure' and persuade me to become his apprentice. Conceited manipulative fool. I swear to take revenge on him…"

"Don't worry, in due time, we will."

"So you and Starfire are together, huh," I said, switching the subject.

"Err, yeah, we are. I asked her out a few weeks ago."

"Cool…"

"So…"

"So…"

"Are we good?" he asked finally.

"We're good."

And so it ends on a good note…hopefully.

Author's Note – And so this story ends…or does it…THERE'S GOING TO BE A SEQUEL! Title TBA. This story is still going on in my real life and actually just got a LOT more complicated, so look out for some more romance and drama! Spill your most inner thoughts about this story and life in your awesome reviews!

I think I'll post a preview or the first chappie of the Sequel as a Chapter 11 here. Imma start writing that now!

Edit: Just realized that this chapter sucks content wise...sure it holds true to the plot, but it sucks...so when I have time, I will rewrite this entire chapter. Thanks for continuing to read this story. Hope you are anticipating the sequel like I am!